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| My lost car keys! Has anyone seen them? |
We often talk about feeling and experiencing God's love. This happens when we find lost car keys, when we feel encircled in the arms of love as an answer to prayer, or when we help someone in need.
Where do we really find this love? In the Gospel of John, Nicodemus is taught the following now famous words.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)The love of God is epitomized and personified and consummated in the birth, life, mission, suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Giving his only begotten Son as a ransom for the vileness and unbelief and pride of the world was a total act of love. No living thing in this world deserves Jesus Christ. He is a gift from God.
Receiving gifts is hard for the self-sufficient modern man and woman. We are independent and free to walk our own way and rarely acknowledge or become aware of our dire need for other people, even more so with regards to Jesus Christ. This is true, even though "he comprehends all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth ... The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things" (D&C 88:6, 13)
Since God's love is most perfectly expressed in Jesus, the best way to experience this love is through trust Jesus, believe him and come unto him. Jesus was sent so that we might be saved, not that we might feel all warm and fuzzy. Being saved is then the ultimate reception of the love of God. Forgiveness, therefore, is at the heart of God's love.
The highest manifestation of the love of God is salvation. So, maybe the best way for us to experience this love is through the redemptive relocating of lost keys, or having our prayerful petition mercifully answered, or saving someone else from their distress, big or small. This we do well in remembering until the perfect day when we see as we are seen, and know as we are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace. (D&C 50:24; 76:94)
Well said. It reminded me of what I just read in Ether regarding the gift of the savior. For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.
ReplyDelete8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.
9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.
10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God.
11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.". I love your insight and it confirmed and winged of the thoughts i had as I sat in the temple this evening. Thank you for sharing.
Well said. It reminded me of what I just read in Ether regarding the gift of the savior. For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.
ReplyDelete8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.
9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.
10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God.
11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.". I love your insight and it confirmed and winged of the thoughts i had as I sat in the temple this evening. Thank you for sharing.